A Lovgren Christmas and New Year's Eve 2013

Christmas was really fun. Bryan and Kimbra brought some food from Ikea (including Jul Must and the Christmas ham) and we had our traditional Swedish Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve. The food probably tasted extra yummy because all five of us sat around the table. Kimbra and I made Swedish Limpa Bread earlier that day, and this year Per made homemade iced chocolate (is choclad) and cola (knack) candies.

Per and I decided to spend less on each person because the best thing about Christmas isn't the gifts or the food, but the people. We watched the birth of Jesus Christ on our "Joy to the World" DVD and simultaneously listened to Amy Grant's song "Breath of Heaven" to remember the greatest gift that Jesus Christ gave us (immortality), before we opened our presents under the tree.

I bought personalized stockings for each of us and a matching tree skirt with the name "The Lovgrens" on it so that Kimbra wouldn't be the only one with her name on a stocking. We had fun opening presents, and on Christmas day scratching lottery tickets (a fun tradition) and seeing a movie (this year "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug").

Andrew, Bryan, Jade, Per, and Kimbra Lovgren

Per's Ice Chocolate

Swedish Christmas Eve Dinner 2013

More Christmas Eve Dinner

Christmas Eve Ham

Later on Christmas Eve

Fluffy's favorite spot

Bryan and Kimbra

Per

Jade

Andrew

Of course on New Year's Eve we had our traditional dinner of seafood, a baguette, grapes, and cheese (this year crawfish, crab legs, and Boursin cheese.) Andrew felt sick and slept while just Per and I ate and celebrated. After dinner we watched the second movie of The Lord of the Rings triology (The Two Towers) and Fox News showed the midnight ball drop at Times Square in New York City to signify the new year. Surprisingly, I stayed awake past midnight and we watched Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve on TV. Per and I said "Happy New Year" at midnight and we went to sleep at 1:30am.

2013 New Year's Eve Dinner
(Seafood, a Baguette, Grapes, and Cheese)

Per's crawfish and My crab

New Year's Eve 2012

I have fond memories of working on puzzles or playing Scrabble at Grandma's while munching on Frito's and watching Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve, donning hats that said Happy New Year and blowing plastic horns at midnight.

To me, staying awake until midnight on New Year's Eve is only fun when 1) being young; 2) attending a party; or 3) celebrating at a dance. Call me a humbug, but I go to bed before midnight and know it will be the new year when I wake. I hear fireworks at midnight, but seeing them isn't enough to tempt me to stay up.

Earlier in the evening, we have our traditional New Year's Eve dinner, including the usual: seafood; a baguette; brie cheese; and red grapes. Although messy, I enjoy it nonetheless.

New Year's Eve dinner, including the usual: seafood; a baguette; brie cheese; red grapes. 

This year we watched Young Frankenstein (hilarious movie) but still had a few hours to wait until midnight. We turned on the TV and watched a few different stations before realizing the programs showed more commercials than the actual program. Per switched the channel to a cable news station so we could see the celebration going on at Times Square in New York City. After watching that for a while (and before midnight,) I stood up and said, "Good night, I'm going to bed."